Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a severe human vascular disease with unclear molecular mechanisms. It is defined by histopathologic remodeling within the aortic wall, associated with progressive aortic dilatation and eventual rupture. Male gender and cigarette smoking are the only known risk factors for AAA. Approximately one in every 250 people over the age of 50 will die of a ruptured AAA. However for this prevalent and life threatening disease the only cure so far is surgical correction, due to lack of insights into its disease mechanisms. Furthermore, surgery is only recommended for AAA that is bigger than 5.5 cm; and that smaller AAA with no symptoms often cannot be diagnosed, resulting in silent growth and surprising lethal rupture. Therefore it is of public health significance to advance our understanding of AAA etiology, which may result in innovative therapeutic and preventive strategies.
There remains a need for biomarkers for AAA. In particular, there remains a need for biomarkers that can be used for screening, detecting and monitoring of AAA, as well as identifying those predisposed to developing AAA.